The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-15

I
stood eminent in the corps Of cadet
/ 1lwavs courteous, always ready fOr
lutv, ALWAYS proficient. | tel5e {
hat if Won will 60 among the cadet
who were in the corps with hin, and
ask who was the grandest Character
they knew in tie corps, the answer
would he generally. ifrOt universal
", A Albert Sidney J0hn>ton.' Thar
is my opinion, and the opinion ]
raSe Leard expressed by many.
among others by the man who was
at the head of his class, and who i
one Of the greatest savants thi>
country has produced. We entered
the army together, and were in the
same branch of the service. W,
we're together in the barracks and iu
the Indian campaigns, and | remeu-
her now tha tine when | saw hiu
when a deadly disease was spread-
ing among the men In camp. Sidney
Johnston was there himself. suffer
Ing, vet calm aid attentive to those
who were suffering more tn IA him
self. He showed no trepidatiOn--it
was not In his nature to do so. The
man had been as hon IN battle.
and when he stopped over a suffers
ing cOmrade his eyes molsten, d with
more than mothtl'3 weakness.
Such was the nature of this man :
heart. TheE We served in foreign
var together. | could not tell YOU
much OF that periOl without being
SUBJECT to charge of egotism for
SIn9ly and alone We two have stood
where death seemed to come ever,
moment, and there Sidney Johnsto tor
was IS calm as ever saw him in
His decision was as quick as
.a o.is- y .aoa, 70 the infantry
TlEe pH~ter ~ SF"aA
men, who know nov qdicIi i 'aJr
Then thare WAS one characteristic
IF h.m which prevailed throughout
the whole eBhesa nf his life, and that
was his chiva!ric t-mpeT. He hhstr
deserted friCn7, and was prone to
step in itInt of friend, when he
saw him assailpd. lie was knight,
", hut not errant. hen he saw
Trxas struggling for Il right he
thought be 'onged to all men the
righ of self 60, ernment-he went to
volunteer without Recommendation.
ta akinI his place in the ranks TO fght
tor the liberty OF Texas III order
that she might have government
of her own. As time wore on his
merit was discovered. and he was
rails 'd to rank and position. When
the war with Mexico beg.n we had
but few troops on the Rio GrAnde,
and in the BEGINNING Of the war
II ere seemed little probability of
success. Johnston organized reei-
ment. Of hich he was c0lOnei. and
marched Immediately to tie support
OF Zachary TaI lor. Afterwards he
"as on the staff of General Taylor.
| will not worry yon by going into
details. After the war with Mexico
my friends, | will 90 Ou ntlIe
longer applause he was appoint
ed paymaster under the admInis.ra-
tlon of Franklin Pierce. Yankee
" no never falterpd in The maintain
ing of States rig hts: man who in
the Senate of the United States
voted for every one of the resUlu-
tions of Calhoun, though man"
Southern Senators did so reduct ant
ly, thanks to New Hampshire for
breeding such a man as
franklin Pierce. Pierce ap-
pointed Johnston paymaster and CO..
onel OF the second cavalry. a regl~
ment which gave II ore distinguished
to both armies in the war between
the States than any other in the
United States army. Mr. Buchanan,
when President, sent to me to ask:
Who do you think ought to have
command OF the Utah expedi:ionf'
[ did not choose to select one only
from my army acquaintances. and |
gave him three names. He said:
DO YOU and General Scott ever
agree aoout any thing" ] said: Il
think so : He replied: Il this in
stance you have named the same
| three men hey were Pe1sifer
Smlti,, of Louisiana; Albert Sidney
/ J .hnSton, and Il. f Lee. Johnston
! was select, q, and he was the LEST
selection. He commanded the ex
petition to Utah. ard was made g
brigadt, r-grneral by brevtt. SO he
had gone to the highest grade, mex,
t, til, Con mandtI- n-Chief, within :
short eriod after the Mrxican war
Previously to that he had resigned
from the army and lost his position
When the war between the State: